Propeller governor



May 10, 1938. M. w. ROSNER PROPELLER GOVERNOR Filed Aug. 25, 1957 R v om E E n .IT T W 2 H Z Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PROPELLERGOVERNOR Michael William Rosner, St. Paul, Minn.

Application August 25,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to means for reducing the action of a boatpropeller, and has special reference to one readily applicable to thepropeller of what is known as an outboard motor for the propulsion ofsmall boats, so that the same may be slowed down in speed for trollingor the like without materially affecting the speed of the motor.

It is well known that devices for this purpose have been resorted to buthave been more or less complicated, liable to fouling with weeds, grass,or the like with which they may come in contact, and not convenient ofapplication, and to overcome these objections in a general way is theprincipal object of the instant invention.

Simplicity of parts and adjustment are further advantages of theinvention.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description ofthe invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisapplication, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward face of one practicalembodiment of the invention for application to a two-blade propeller.

Figure 2 is a similar View of a modified form as applied to athree-blade propeller.

The device here illustrated comprises a body portion'of sheet metal anddisc-like in form as indicated at I, it being a predetermined size indiameter and less than that of the propeller to which it is to beapplied as obviously the relation of these two diameters will determinethe effect of the invention upon the action of the propeller. In thisrespect simplicity of application is very important as it may be desiredduring a single fishing expedition to have the trolling boat operate atdifferent speeds, and when a quick change of the device may be quitedesirable.

At the axis of this disc there may be provided any sized opening to suitthe protruding end of the propeller shaft and nut therefor as common,and to surround same there is provided upon the device here shown aband-like flange 2, this flange being rigidly fixed as by welding or thelike to the disc.

Upon opposite sides of the center of the disc and spaced inwardlysomewhat from the marginal edges thereof are punched inwardly therefromthe rectangularly shaped clips 3, they being formed at an angle orsuitable curvature to normally approximately fit over the following edgeof a propeller blade, while opposite each one of these clips and facingsame, is a U-shaped spring snap or catch 4, it being attached to theinner 1937, Serial No. 160,866

or forward face of the disc, in this instance as by bolts indicated at5. The holes for these bolts may be slotted as is common for suchconnections whether in the disc or in the clip for longitudinaladjustment, and the free or protruding end of the 5 clips are providedwith forwardly projecting finger like portions 6 for overlappingengagement with the leading edge of the propeller blade to which thedevice is being attached.

With such a device it is only necessary to place same with the clips 3approaching overlapping engagement with the following edges of theblades, when a slight backward rotary motion together with an axialthrust will snap the device onto the propeller blade, where it will besecurely and non-removably attached, except by the releasing of thespring snaps 6 from their engagement over the edges of the blades.

In Figure 2 there is illustrated one of the governors as equipped forand applied to a threeblade propeller of slightly differentconstruction, though the governor functions in exactly the same manneras that previously described, and is applied to the propeller in thesame manner, and that in such a propeller the hub portion may projectentirely through a somewhat larger axial hole in the disc instead of theflange-like member 2, previously described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a screw propeller of a removable governortherefor comprising a disc of less diameter than said propeller andhaving spring members carried thereby for holding engagement over theedges of said propeller. 35

2. A governor for screw propellers comprising in combination a dischaving spring means for removable attachment to the edges of the bladeof said propeller.

3. A governor for screw propellers comprising in combination a dischaving clips therein for engagement with one edge of each blade of saidpropeller and spring catches for engagement with the other edge of eachblade, for removably holding said disc to said propeller. 45

4. A governor for screw propellers comprising in combination a sheetmetal disc having clips pressed inwardly therefrom for overlappingengagement with one edge of the blades of a propeller and spring clipsfor similar engagement over the opposite edge of said blades.

5. A governor for screw propellers comprising in combination a disc,spring means carried upon the front face of said disc for convenientsnapping engagement with the blades of said propeller.

6. A governor for screw propellers comprising in combination a disc andmeans carried upon the front face of said disc for overlappingengagement with the edges of the blades of said propeller.

'7. Speed control means for a boat driven by a screw propeller,comprising a sheet metal disc 10 carrying spring means for removableholding en-

